October is National Audiology Awareness Month

Your ability to hear is an essential part of your life, so it makes sense to appreciate and take care of what you have. Unfortunately, hearing loss is the third most common health condition faced by older adults, and it is estimated that 37.5 Americans, both young and old, have some degree of hearing loss. During the month of October, see to it that you get your hearing checked and encourage your loved ones to do the same. Because the saying is correct, you don’t know what you had until you lost it. So make sure you protect your hearing while you can by wearing ear protection every time you are exposed to loud noises. Knowing more about the levels of noise and what is considered to be dangerous can go a long way in preserving your hearing.

Being exposed to noises that are over 85 dB (decibels) for an extended period can cause permanent hearing loss. To help you better understand how loud is too loud, learn more about the levels of noise.

Faint

20 dB: Leaves rustling

Soft

30 dB: Whisper
40 dB: Library

Moderate

50 dB: Rainfall (moderate)
60 dB: Dishwashers, normal conversations

Loud

70 dB: Vacuum running, traffic
80 dB: Alarm clocks

Very Loud (Dangerous over 30 minutes)

90 dB: Blenders, lawnmowers, hairdryers, power tools
100 dB: MP3 players on full volume, snowmobiles
110 dB: Sporting events, concerts, car horns

Uncomfortable (Dangerous over 30 seconds)

120 dB: Jet planes, during take-off

Painful and Dangerous (Avoid or use hearing protection)

130 dB: Ambulances, jackhammers
140 dB: Custom car radios at max volume, fireworks, gunshots

October is Audiology Awareness Month, so use this time to reflect on your ability to hear and what you can do to preserve your hearing. Using hearing protection and scheduling regular hearing screenings with an audiologist can go a long way in the fight against hearing loss. So if you haven’t visited your audiologist lately or you have been experiencing a change in your ability to hear, make sure you schedule a visit today.